Microbial screening methods for natural products

 

 

 

 

Screening methods for natural products with antimicrobial activity: A review of the literature

 

J.L. Rios, M.C. Recio^a and A. Villar^b

^aDepartamento de Farmacologia y Farmacotecnia. Laboratorio de Farmacognosia y Farmacodinamia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Iban̄ez 13, 46010 Valencia Spain

^bDepartamento de Farmacologia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid Spain

Accepted 11 May 1988. 

Available online 8 November 2002.

Abstract

Diffusion and dilution methods have been employed to study the antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants. A number of modifications have been made in the technique in order to obtain better results. Since some factors (culture medium composition, microorganisms tested, extractive method, pH, solubility of the sample in the culture medium, etc.) can change results, it is difficult using these methods to standardize a procedure for the study of antimicrobial plants. Bioautography is another method for studying antimicrobial activity. With it, previously chromatographed principles are diffused to the agar. The results can also change according to the method employed. All the various techniques are reviewed here and, in order to unify the different criteria and parameters, standard methods to study the antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants are proposed.

Correspondence to: J.L. Rios.

---

Journal of Ethnopharmacology Volume 23, Issues 2-3, July-August 1988, Pages 127-149

 

 

 

...................................................................................................................................................

 

 

NATURAL PRODUCT SCREENING FOR ANTIBACTERIAL AGENTS

Author:	L.L. Silver
Keywords:	antibacterial, antibiotic, natural products, screening
Abstract: Screening of natural products for antibacterial activity has a long history, but the output of useful new chemical entities has decelerated. Natural products programs have been largely abandoned by large pharmaceutical companies as an antibacterial screening source in the age of high throughput target-directed screening of chemical libraries and the search for new leads for chemical optimization. However, this approach has not been very productive and natural products may once again provide an attractive source of novel antibacterial compounds. Application of modern technology to increase sample sources, assay throughput, speedier chemical isolation, and, most importantly, dereplication (rapid identification of common compounds) by biological and chemical means, can aid in further exploitation of the rich natural product universe. However, the lessons of the past should not be forgotten and this brief review offers some context for this renewed attack.